A/N: Happy New Year everyone. Let's celebrate with a new chapter. Gonna do something new starting with this chapter. Each chapter will be accompanied by a song recommendation.

Song: "Blood" – My Chemical Romance

Chapter 1 – Blood

Three months later…

BPOV

One… Two… Three… I counted the florescent lights as they flashed overhead. I can hear voices talking around me, but I have no interest in what they are saying or to whom. My body feels so heavy; Heavier than I've felt before. Maybe that means it worked this time. The gurney I am strapped to makes a sharp turn and more voices are added to the fray.

"Isabella Swan. Aged 20. Found in a motel room by the maid. We've got a total of four deep lacerations; two to each wrist and pretty significant blood loss. Empty bottle of Ambien was found next to her. Label on the bottle advises 5mg, but I think it's safe to say she's been abusing them for some time, given the number of empty bottles found in the room. Fortunately, the nurse who found her is currently putting herself through medical school. She called an ambulance and then shoved her fingers down the girl's throat until she threw up at least most of what she swallowed. We've contacted her father who says she disappeared three months ago after her boyfriend died. Apparently we're dealing with a suicide risk, boys."

"Ya think?" A new voice somewhere behind me threw his opinion into the mix as my gurney was pushed through a second set of doors. "Let's pump her stomach to be safe. Give her a sedative and have Nurse Knight take care of the wrists. I want this girl in a room, completely knocked out until her dad gets here from Washington."

"Doctor!" A female voice called from far away and I tried to turn my head to look. "Sir, we just ran her through the system. This is her second hospitalization in a month. Last time she was admitted she had been found in an alley with an empty bottle of Ambien. The label had been scratched off, so we don't know who it was prescribed to. Obviously she's getting the pills illegally. Her stomach was pumped and she disappeared sometime in the night before a family member could claim her."

"A flight risk…" The same voice as before carried down to me and I realized he must be my doctor. "Alright, I still want her sedated but I want security outside her door this time. Let's save this girl's life, shall we?"

I hated him in that moment. Why wouldn't they all just let me die? I'd taken extra steps this time to make sure there was no coming back and somehow they had still found me in time. Anger boiled inside me and I tried to move, thrashing my body to the side. Only… I barely moved. I must be strapped down. I felt tears flood my eyes and I started thrashing against the restraints, kicking my legs and pushing against my restraints.

"Nurse, where's the sed--."

"Here, doctor." I saw someone move to my side and I felt a pinch in my arm. "Don't worry, honey. We'll take care of you." A young, pretty face hovered above me as I felt my body sink away into darkness.

Edward's arms wrapped around me, holding me against his chest as I leaned back into him. His hand rested over mine and I closed my eyes, laying my head on his shoulder. "You must stop this, Bella. This isn't the answer, my love." I shook my head slowly and pulled his arms tighter around me. "I can't stop, Edward. Not until it's over. I can't live in this world without you. Don't you know that? Don't ask me to, either." Edward sighed loudly and I felt him rest his cheek against the side of my head. "Bella, don't you know there is so much more to live for? You have a chance at a real life, a normal happy life. You must try for it." Edward's voice was tender but I could hear his desperation in it. It did nothing to sway me. "No. My only chance at happiness died with you."

Edward turned me in his arms until I was facing him, sitting in his lap. He smiled gently, brushing my hair back behind my ear. His eyes looked deep into mine, exploring them… Searching for something. I put my hand on his cheek and shook my head. "I don't want a life without you, Edward." Before he could respond, I leaned up and kissed him slowly, pressing my lips against his. He responded in kind, moving his hands to my sides as he kissed me gently. I leaned into him and he deepened the kiss in a way he never had before. I gripped his hair and ran my tongue over his lips, feeling that perfect smoothness I had always loved.

Edward pulled back slowly and smiled at me, twirling a strand of my hair around his finger. "It's time, Bella." I shook my head and threw my arms around him, pulling him closer, refusing to let go. "No! Please... Just a little while longer. Not yet… Please." Edward kissed my forehead and pushed me back slowly, smiling that breathtakingly beautiful smile of his. "I love you, Bella. Please…. Live. You must live. Bella… You must live…. You must…. Live…"

Edward's voice began to fade and his face drifted away into darkness, leaving me reaching for him, calling for him as I watched him disappear.

"Bella, wake up. Come on, Bells. I'm here now." Charlie's voice cut through what was left of Edward's and I felt my cheeks warm and wet with tears. I just wanted Edward back. I wanted to be back in his arms. Sobs overwhelmed me and I rolled onto my side, refusing to open my eyes and face a world without him. Charlie came to the side of the bed and knelt beside me as he took my hand and squeezed gently. "Bells… Please. Look at me." Charlie's voice sounded pained and somewhere inside me, the old Bella sympathized with him. I opened my eyes and Charlie smiled sadly. "Hey, kiddo." I didn't speak, I just stared at him as he smiled at me. I had nothing to say.

"I, uh, I talked to your mom. She wanted to fly here too, but we ended up agreeing that she would meet you in New York." Confusion began to build within me and I raised an eyebrow at him. "New York?" Charlie smiled sadly and shook his head, lowering his gaze. "This is twice now, kiddo. And we don't know how many more times you'd try until you finally… Well, we're not going to let that happen. There's a place in New York where you can go and get some help. They deal with people who have drug problems and depression." I forced myself up so I was sitting up awkwardly and stared at him in growing confusion.

"Dad, I don't have a drug problem."

"Come on, Bells. They found all the bottles in your room. Sleeping pills, depression meds, pain pills… And it's all in your system. They say it's obvious you've been using for some time." I looked away from him as anger built up inside me again. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I wiped them away angrily. "I'm not going, dad. I don't want… I don't want help. I don't want any of this. Why can't you all just let me die?!" My voice had risen into a shaky scream and Charlie stepped back away from the bed, as his eyes grew even more pained. Still, that didn't stop me. I lowered my voice some, but probably not enough. "Don't you get it, dad? I'm ready to die. I'm not going to stop until this is all over. I don't want this life anymore."

Charlie stared at me in shock and it seemed like minutes before he spoke again. His eyes darkened and his jaw set as he stared me down. "I am your father, Isabella. You have no choice in this matter. If your doctor fears you are a danger to yourself or others, he can admit you. Your mother and I have found a nice place in Manhattan where your mom can go see you whenever you're allowed visitors. And I'll even make the trip as often as I can." He paused and his expression softened a bit. "We love you, Bells. We refuse to lose you. Not like this."

I looked away from him, folding my arms over my chest. "You lost me a long time ago, dad. I'm not your little girl anymore."

"Well… Be that as it may, you're still going. We're going to get you all better and then you can practice not being my little girl all on your own. Now I'm going to go call your mother. Doctors are giving us the go ahead to move you tomorrow. Better get some sleep, kid. You're gonna need it."

Charlie left the room without looking back at me and I threw myself back, instantly regretting it as a pain spread through my abdomen. I put my hands on my stomach and saw that both my wrists were heavily bandaged. How the hell had I messed that up, too? I sighed and rolled onto my side facing away from the door as I forced myself back into that perfect world I shared with Edward.

The flight from Phoenix to New York was worse than I could have imagined it to be. I had no belongings other than the extra pair of clothes the hospital had given me. It was the only flight I had ever been subjected to without music to help me block out the airplane noises and screaming children. I kept getting looks from mothers who didn't want their children to talk to me thanks to my bandaged wrists, not that I cared, but it was getting old. Even the wide band of Edward's wrist cuff hadn't been enough to hide the bandages. I ran my fingers over the Cullen Crest and sighed as yet another baby started crying. By the time the plane landed, I was more than happy to face a car ride with my mother.

I was barely through the gate when mom threw her arms around my neck, sobbing into my hair. "Bella, baby… Oh, Bella." I patted her on the back awkwardly and waited while she pulled herself together. Finally she pulled back and wiped her mascara stained eyes. "I've been so worried, sweetheart. I just…" She sighed as her eyes fell on my bandages and the tears began again. She pulled me into her once more and cried against my hair while people passed us, giving us curious glances.

When mom had completely and officially pulled herself together, we left the airport and found a cab. Mom gave the driver a piece of paper and he pulled out into traffic quickly. Mom and I sat in silence as the cab darted in and out of traffic, navigating the streets of New York easily. I wrung my hands together over and over, something I had found myself doing more and more in the past month. I wasn't sure if it was out of nervousness or some sort of tick I had developed as a side effect of taking so many different pills. Whatever it was, it caught mom's attention.

"Bella," she said softly. "Are you alright?" I nodded but didn't answer verbally.

"Bella, I know that you've gone through a lot over the past three months, but you need to know that life won't always be this hard. I know that seems like--." I cut her off, feeling resentment building inside me.

"What do you know about it, mom? Have you ever held the body of someone you love? Have you ever lost the one person you planned to spend forever with? No, you haven't. You have no idea what this feels like, so please, don't bother acting like you do."

She sat back looking wounded and somewhat offended, but I honestly didn't care. Everyone kept telling me how life was going to get better and the hurt would go away. But I didn't want it to go away. I didn't want to forget Edward and pretend he had never existed at all. Who could do that? I looked down at my bandaged wrists and imagined the scars that would form in place of the cuts I had put there. I wouldn't stop trying… I'd find some way when no one was looking, when no one would stumble upon me, and I'd finish it.

The cab came to a stop and the driver turned around to face my mom. "Should I keep the meter running?" Mom looked at me for a second and I knew she was trying to figure out how much time she would need to spend inside with me. Finally she nodded at the driver. "Yes, please do."

We got out of the cab together and I looked up at the massive building that stood before me. Sure, on the outside it looked perfectly pleasant and not at all menacing. But I knew better. Inside I'd be surrounded by people trying to tell me everything would be okay. They'd keep me from my pills and force me to talk about what had happened. Only, I could never really talk about what had happened. No one could know what I knew.

I sighed and began to climb the stairs leading to my own personal hell.

JPOV

New York City is the kind of place everyone wants to visit. In fact, it's one of the only cities in the world where I fit in. I walk the streets of New York at night, blending in among the whores and drug dealers. New York City is a beautiful city, to say the very least. But only during the day. At night the vagrants and monsters roam the streets in search of a victim. Every scream uttered in this city echoes in my mind. I hear the women being raped and beaten, the men robbed and murdered. Children cry and call for their mothers who are passed out with a needle sticking out of their arm. This is my home, and I love this city.

On my second night here, my thirst had finally caught up with me. Without Alice's gentle voice telling me I'm not a monster, I allowed my inner most urges to overwhelm me. Perhaps this is why I had come to New York in the first place. I knew that I'd have plenty of opportunity to quench my thirst. There is no redemption for me after what I did to my family and I have finally embraced my inner monster. However, I've chosen to honor Alice in one final way. When I hunt, I seek out monsters like me in an attempt to rid the world of a little bit of the evil that runs rampant on its city streets. That burning thirst that rose in my throat had almost ruined the silent pact I had made with Alice. Still, I'd found a way to hold true to my promise. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to remember that night and the way it had given me something to live for.

The night air was filled with the smell of diesel oil and tar. I took a deep breath, allowing it to invade my senses in an attempt to push the smell of blood out of my mind. Instead, I only succeeded in engulfing myself with more of the mouthwatering scent. All around me people were coming and going, unaware of just how much danger they were in. Somewhere, miles to my right, an earth-shattering scream ripped through the air. Of course, I was the only one around me to hear it. I zeroed in on the scream, tracking the sound as I ran through the city streets. Within seconds the scream was cut off abruptly and I was sure someone had forcibly silenced the girl.

Still, I could hear her struggling against her captor as she screamed against his hand. And bless her, I heard a grunt and a growl of anger come from the man attempting to inflict himself upon her. Obviously, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. I turned the corner and found myself standing at the edge of a dark alley. Miscellaneous boxes and crates littered the alley; the ideal place for someone to lurk, waiting for the perfect victim to come wandering along. I narrowed my eyes as I saw two figures pressed together in the dark.

The big burly man held the young girl against the wall, one hand over her mouth while the other tore at her clothes. He used his hips and legs to keep her where he wanted and I saw now that he had a gun sticking out of the back of his pants. Surely he had threatened her with it when he first grabbed her. The girl had tears streaming down her face and she pushed against him in an attempt to free herself. Of course, her attempts were in vain. This was a man who knew exactly how to use his height and weight to his advantage. His skilled fingers knew all the right places to rip to cause her blouse to fall open and flutter to the ground.

I felt a growl rise in my throat and I closed my eyes, getting to know each of them. The girl's heartbeat was wild and fear poured off her in thick, choking waves. Mixed in with that fear was anger and determination. She would not go down without a fight. I turned my attention to her aggressor and found his heartbeat to be calm, only slightly faster than normal. His emotions were not that of anxiety and fear of getting caught; They were only lust filled with a hint of satisfaction. Perhaps satisfaction at the girl's fear? I couldn't be sure. I allowed myself to get to know my prey, learning the scent of his blood so I would not mistake him for the girl. When I was confident in myself and what I was about to do, I opened my eyes again.

Only seconds had passed and the girl's skirt was bunched up around her waist as the man worked his zipper. I saw the girl raise her knee in an attempt to kick him where it would hurt most, but he had seen it too. I watched as he pulled his hand back, forming a fist. He swung down, aiming for her eye where he would do the most damage.

A growl tore from my chest and I lunged, arms out at my side, my fingers curled into claws. I reached them before the man's fist could make contact with the girl's face. I locked my fingers around his wrist and spun him around so we were face to face. From the corner of my eye I watched as the girl fell down on the dirty ground. The man's lips curled into a sneer as he caught sight of me, deeming me no threat. "What the fuck do ya think yer doin', boy?" He attempted to wrench his arm from my grasp, but obviously he had no luck.

I held him there and turned my attention to the girl, sending her waves of calm and reassurance. "Run, girl. And don't look back, ya hear?" She nodded and grabbed the remains of her blouse, covering herself with it as best as she could. Of course, that wasn't saying much. She'd get about a block away and be pulled into another alley, looking like that. I pushed the man against the wall and held him by the throat, adding enough pressure that he was choking without allowing him to pass out. "Hold it, girl." She spun around and stared at me with terrified eyes, but yet I noticed her fear was not directed at me.

I removed my black leather trench coat, putting my foot on the man's chest so my hands were free long enough to pull it off, and tossed it to the girl. "You wear that or you won't get very far. Keep your head down and don't draw very much attention to yourself. You got make up running down your cheeks. If you look like a victim, you'll become a victim. And darlin', you look like a victim. Now get movin'." I watched as she pulled the coat on and frowned as I saw it reach damn near to the ground. Rage boiled up inside me as I realized she must only be 15 or so.

The girl turned and ran, stopping at the end of the alley to look back at me. I nodded at her and she smiled weakly. "Thank you." I inclined my head and when I looked up again, she was gone, her footsteps falling in quick procession as she ran east.

I growled loudly and turned my sights back on the beast in my grasp. He had stopped struggling and his hand was on my wrist, though he was no longer attempting to pull me away. I loosened my grip on his neck and he coughed loudly, sputtering as air filled his starved lungs.

"How many nights have you spent hiding in this alley using the cover of night as an aid? Hiding behind boxes and crates while you wait for a girl smaller than you to walk by… Alone? And how many nights have you raped a girl no older than the one I just let go? You vile, repulsive—."

"Fuck you, man. You don't know me. That there was my girlfriend. She smarted up at me and I was just putting her back in her place." His heartbeat and the anxiety that now radiated from him told me otherwise.

"Lies!" I hissed, wrapping my fingers around his neck again. I lifted him up into the air, holding him against the wall. "Even if that were so, what makes that acceptable? Women aren't something you can just 'put in their place'. No, it's time for you to be put in your place."

I closed my eyes and sent him wave after wave of fear, anxiety, guilt, regret, and most of all terror. I wanted him to feel what his victims had felt and I wanted him to live his last few moments in utter terror. So far I was succeeding. I allowed a few more moments to pass before I threw him to the ground, pouncing on him before he could even attempt to move. I sunk my teeth into his neck and tore out his jugular, spraying blood over him and I both. I had not fed on a human since the day I met Alice, the day she took me away from the life I once had. But Alice was gone and there was no one left to keep the monster at bay.

But this monster would only murder those who deserved it, like the beast whose life slowly faded beneath me. I drained every last drop of his blood and stood up, casting him aside. I wiped the back of my mouth and closed my eyes, focusing once more on the sounds of the city, my hunting grounds.

When I opened my eyes again, I felt an invigorating sense of purpose. It had been three months since I arrived in the city and still I had only fed on those who deserved to die. I was living up to my promise to Alice and that gave me some comfort. I turned, heading north through Manhattan. I kept my eyes down cast as my red eyes would still be visible, even in the darkness. I had sunglasses in my pocket, but preferred not to wear them unless absolutely necessary. I wore black shoes, black pants, a white t-shirt, and my latest black leather trench coat. The black allowed me to blend in with the darkness that I often hunted in, even if my blonde curls did shine in the moonlight. I had never enjoyed hats, no matter how much Alice had reveled in them, and refused to wear them now.

I had fallen into a routine, hunting every night from around midnight to dawn. At first I hadn't hunted everyday. I had only gone every other day, sometimes even less often. But after time went by, I couldn't justify sitting around while the city screams. Now I hunted even when the thirst wasn't very bad. It kept me busy and this way I was atoning for what I'd done in Forks three months ago.

My thoughts turned to the battle that had taken Alice and Edward from the family. I had spent hours pouring over battle plans, working with the family to form a firm plan of attack. They had left everything up to me, looked to me for guidance and trusted in me fully. At first everything had gone exactly as Alice had seen it. We were winning and Victoria stood back, watching as newborn after newborn fell against us. But something… Something had caused her to move from her spot before she was supposed to. A scream of fury had passed her lips and then she was throwing herself at Edward who had just torn the head off one of her newborns. As he tossed it aside, Victoria collided with his body and they fell, rolling together. A small group of newborns who had been occupied with Emmett, heard Victoria's cries and soon Edward was wrestling with Victoria and four newborns. He had been outnumbered and…

A man bumped into me, knocking me out of my memories as the scent of his blood carried through my nostrils. I looked up at him as he spoke. "Sorry man, I didn't--." He stopped when he saw my red eyes, stumbling back a few steps before breaking into a run. I watched as he disappeared around a corner and I resumed my idle walk.

Edward had been destroyed and none of us had been able to get to him. We were each dealing with our own group of newborns and Emmett had been the first to break free, running to Edward. But of course, it had been too late. There was no saving him. The battle had raged on until it was just Victoria and three newborns. Emmett and I made short work of Victoria and I turned just in time to see Carlisle fall to the ground, hit so hard it knocked him out. Rosalie and Alice were battling a newborn and Esme ran to Carlisle as Emmett and I set our sights on the last two newborns. But just as we were finishing up with them, I heard a scream and Alice's voice called my name.

The smoke had already filled the air so heavily that I couldn't see Alice. I couldn't see anyone. Finally as I found my way through the thick blanket of smoke, I realized the battle was over. Moments later I would find Alice's body…

I sighed and turned the corner, entering a darker part of the city. I usually made a point to wander through this side of town once a night. Drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes filled the corners and alleys. By now they had gotten used to me and didn't bother acknowledging me anymore. I was just as common as they were and more dangerous than they liked to think of themselves. As I walked, I focused on the sounds of the streets, listening for anything that needed my attention. I watched drug dealers peddle their blow. Each one had a pocket of quality product, and a pocket of shit product. The latter was surely laced with meth or speed, cutting down the quality of the product, but keeping the buyer coming back for more regardless. Whores propositioned the drug dealers, offering sexual favors in exchange for a hit and more than once I saw dealer agree and the pair disappear into a dark alley, only to reappear a few minutes later.

"Monsters, monsters, everywhere." I muttered and turned, continuing my slow saunter. "Hey, baby. You lookin' for a little—." I turned and the prostitute nearest to me stepped back, shaking her head. "Damn. Didn't know it was you." She sighed and turned, looking for another possible customer.

I nodded and resumed my walk, allowing my mind to drift to memories of Alice.

BPOV

"So sleeping pills are forbidden, but I can smoke myself into an early grave? That makes no sense." I stared at the nurse with my eyebrow raised, crossing my arms over my chest. "You wanna complain about it, or you want your smoke break?" I sighed and held my hand out for a cigarette. "I want my goddamn pills is what I want. I don't sleep here, you know that. There's too much screaming and banging all fucking night long. I just want a full night's sleep."

Nurse Adams held the cigarette up, but didn't put it in my hand. "Isabella, we've talked to you about the language. Now if you want to keep getting your cigarettes, you gotta keep up the good behavior. Using language like that is the quickest way to lose your privileges." I rolled my eyes and nodded, waving my hand slightly. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Sorry." She smiled and placed the cigarette in my hand. "Jeremy will escort you out and keep an eye on you while you smoke. You have ten minutes, use them wisely this time." I nodded and turned, looking for my Jeremy. I liked getting him as my escort. He had a good sense of humor and let me vent and cuss all I wanted without ratting me out. He appeared around the corner and held up a matchbook. "Come on, Bella. Clock's ticking."

We walked outside and I breathed in the cool air before putting the cigarette between my lips. Jeremy lit it and then sat down on the steps, watching me. I leaned against the railing across from him and took a drag, inhaling deeply. "I'm going crazy, Jer. I can't stand this place. I just want a decent night's sleep." Jeremy ran a hand through his hair and nodded, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. He lit it and glanced back at the building, angling his body so the cigarette wouldn't be seen. "I know, Bells. But you're in this place for a while, might as well make the best of it. You're doing good though. It's only been a month and you've already earned cigarettes. Most don't get that until three months or longer."

I sighed and shook my head, looking up the street towards the heart of Manhattan. I'd been coming out here with Jeremy three times a day for a week and every time I come out here, I look up the street and imagine what it would be like to just run… Run as fast as my feet could take me. I'd almost done it once, but the nurse had come out and called us back in before I'd gotten the courage up.

I glanced back at Jeremy and took another drag, considering my options as I looked at him. We had probably less than seven minutes before the nurse came out and called us back in. Jeremy took a drag and I shuffled a little, walking up and down the bottom two steps to see if he made any attempt to stop me. He didn't.

My heart sped up as I made up my mind. Today was as good a day as any and I was going to lose my mind if I spent another night locked up among the psychos without a full night of sleep. I glanced back at Jeremy and watched as he raised his cigarette to his mouth, taking a drag. "Sorry, Jer." I said and he looked up at me, mid-drag.

I leapt from the step I was on and landed hard, immediately running as fast as my feet would take me. I glanced back to see Jeremy moving off the steps, but he seemed to choke on the smoke in his lungs, and stopped, bent over to catch his breath. Those few seconds were all I needed. I veered right and ran down an alley, crossing over onto another street. And then another. I crossed so many times I was sure I was no where near the hospital anymore. I kept running until I felt my lungs would explode and then finally came to a stop, leaning against a car parked along the side of the road.

As soon as I had my breath, I picked up again, running through crowds of people. I heard sirens somewhere in the city and while I couldn't be sure they were after me, I just had a feeling they were. I ducked into an alley and sat down behind a few empty crates, watching and waiting. Two cop cars went by and I hunched down lower, deciding I'd stay here until nightfall.

Nighttime came with a chill that settled into my bones with skill. I finally left the alley, walking slowly and carefully with my arms wrapped around my body. I had never been in New York City before, but I knew just by looking that it was best to keep moving. I walked for an hour or more, weaving in and out of alleys and side streets. My lungs hurt from the cold and I couldn't stop shivering. I hugged myself tighter, rubbing my arms so the friction would give me a little warmth. I turned a corner and felt a hand grab me, pulling me into a dark alley. I screamed and a hand clamped down over my mouth. I bit at his hand but I couldn't really get anything and it felt more like I was licking him.

Suddenly I was pushed back against a wall and my legs were kicked apart as the man held me up as he started pulling at his belt. My eyes widened in fear as I realized he was too strong and I was completely helpless. Just then, the man flew backwards and hit the wall opposite us. I started to try to run, climbing over the boxes next to me, but a familiar southern voice stopped me.

"Bella?" I spun around and looked up to see Jasper Hale staring down at me, his eyes wide in shock. I sucked in a breath as I realized his eyes were red… Blood red. Without warning I felt my knees give way and I sunk to the ground as the alley spun away and darkness consumed me.

A/N: So, what do you think? Is Jasper justified? What do you think he'll do with Bella? How do you think Bella will handle this new Jasper? Reviews are like crack to me, keep them coming.